


i accidentally summoned a demon and now he's my roommate???

by Yikes_McGikes



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Demons, Fluff and Humor, Illustrations, M/M, OCs - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, first fic y'all! and it's multi-chapter!!, now sort of illustrated!!, rated T for cussin, tags will be updated as story goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:27:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yikes_McGikes/pseuds/Yikes_McGikes
Summary: Ashe did not know what he was getting into when he summoned a demon for shits and giggles. He guesses he could give this roommate thing a shot. This guy is strange, but he's also kind of cute?Wait, what?
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Original Male Character(s), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first posted fic!!! Ahhhhh!!! I'm not sure how often people read OC x Canon stuff, but I'm hoping for something!

It’s amazing what crazy shit you can do after two vodka cranberries and a shot of tequila. Had he been sober, Ashe would have never in a million years agreed to Hilda’s insane idea to summon a demon in his apartment as a joke. But Hilda makes _super_ strong drinks, and Caspar wouldn’t shut up about it. “I even convinced Hubert to lend me one of his weird dark magic books!” he said for what felt like the sixth time that night.

“You mean you pestered him until he caved and finally threw it at you,” said Linhardt.

  
However it happened, it all ended up with four grown, drunk as hell adults sitting around a pentagram drawn in chalk on the wooden floor of Ashe’s living room. And since it was Ashe’s apartment, he was the unfortunate soul that was labelled as “the virgin sacrifice”.

  
Well, they could have left out the “virgin” part.

  
As Ashe read the incantation from the book while Caspar and Hilda quietly chanted, “Demons! Demons! Demons!”—Linhardt, being the narcoleptic that he is, was fast asleep on Caspar’s shoulder—he started to wonder if this was a good idea. Well, it obviously wasn’t, but with his fear of the supernatural and his sobriety slowly returning, he knew he was most likely going to regret this in the morning.

  
“Alright,” Hilda said once Ashe finished reading, “time for the finishing touch. Hold out your finger, Ashe!” Before he could back out, Hilda took the freckled boy’s hand and pricked his finger with a heart-shaped pin from her pink denim jacket, causing him to yelp at the slight pain. Droplets of red blood flowed slowly down the side of his fingertip and onto the center of the pentagram. The four of them—well, three on the account of one sleeping Linhardt—waited as the minutes ticked by. Then those minutes turned into an hour.

  
“I think we did it wrong,” Caspar said.

  
“No, we didn’t!” exclaimed Hilda. “We did everything the book told us to do!”

  
Ashe chimed in. “Maybe Hubert’s dark magic books are just for aesthetic purposes?” As much as he was relieved that the ritual wasn’t successful, he felt a bit disappointed. The lights didn’t even flicker like in the movies!

  
“I need a band-aid,” he said. “It’s getting late, too. Are you guys functional enough to get home, or do you want to stay here for the night?”

  
“Me and Lin don’t live very far, so I think we’re okay on walking home,” Caspar said as he stood up, hoisting his boyfriend onto his back.

  
“I’m gonna split with these guys,” Hilda said as well, “but thanks Ashe! You’re a real sweetheart! Anybody would be _so_ lucky to have you as a boyfriend!”

Once goodbyes were said, Ashe was left alone in his apartment. Looking at the chalk pentagram and the blood that was no doubt already dry on the floorboards, he sighed and made his way to the bathroom for a band-aid. He would deal with that tomorrow. Right now, all he could think about was sleep.

* * *

The loud meowing that came from down the hall was what woke Ashe from his deep sleep. He took his time getting up, knowing his tubby little thief was a complete drama queen and yelled like he hadn’t eaten in weeks.

  
“Oh, I know, Loog. You’re meowing because you are absolutely _starving_! You’re withering away as I speak!”

  
“I don’t think it’s because of that.”

  
Ashe froze just before he entered the living room. That voice _definitely_ did not belong to Loog. Or to any of his friends. Thinking quickly, Ashe opened the door to his right that led into the bathroom and grabbed the nearest thing to use as a weapon: the hand soap dispenser. Not exactly his first choice, but it was heavy and ceramic, so it would have to do.

Slowly poking his head around the corner, Ashe came face to face with a boy just six feet away wearing a faded, baggy purple sweater with equally faded black jeans and sneakers. But his clothes weren’t what Ashe was caught off-guard by. No, it was everything else about this boy: the curled horns that stuck out from the sides of his head, the pointy ears donned with piercings, his eyes that were an inky black save for his green irises and slitted pupils, and finally a long, black, thin tail that swayed from side to side. Ashe’s eyes caught a glimpse of the tip that was shaped like an arrowhead.

  
This guy was definitely not human.

  
“Who are you? _What_ are you!?” Ashe asked with a shaky lilt to his voice, hesitantly stepping closer to the….boy? Creature?

  
“Ah, it would be rude of me to not introduce myself first, wouldn’t it?” said the boy with a smile. His voice was smooth with a slight purr to it. “My name is Shikuma, from the fiery realm of Hell, blah blah blah. Anyways, don’t you remember last night’s ritual?”

  
“Last night….ritual?” Ashe combed through last night’s drunken escapades, vaguely remembering something about summoning a demon as a joke. He looked downwards to Shikuma’s sneakers and saw that the pentagram was still there in all of its chalky glory.

  
“No way….” Ashe whispered with wide eyes as he looked back up at Shikuma, who was grinning with his arms crossed. This was no joke.

  
“Better believe it, Freckles. You’ve summoned your very first demon!”


	2. Chapter 2

“Holy shit….”

“I didn’t think you three could actually pull it off.”

“Hubert’s book _was_ real! We summoned a _literal_ _demon_!”

Ashe had texted Hilda, Linhardt, and Caspar as soon as he could, realizing that Shikuma couldn’t leave the pentagram unless it was broken. The four of them stood around the demon before them, all with wide eyes.

Caspar was the first to speak, pointing a finger at the demon’s face. “Alright, demon! State your business!”

“Very intimidating, Caspar,” Linhardt said sarcastically, patting his boyfriend on the shoulder.

“Let me out first and I’ll tell you lot what you want to know.”

“Absolutely not!” Ashe and Hilda said simultaneously.

“Then my lips are forever sealed,” said Shikuma, making a zipper motion.

Ashe was smart enough not to give in to whatever tricks he had up his sleeve. Hilda, on the other hand, wasn’t as patient. “Fine!” Ignoring everyone’s protests, she scuffed the edge of the pentagram with her shoe. “Now will you tell us?”

“Hilda, what are you doing!?” Ashe exclaimed. “He could kill us!”

Shikuma chuckled as he stepped out of the pentagram. “If I _really_ wanted to kill you four, I would have done it already,” he said, “but you guys seem like an interesting bunch. Now, where was I….Oh, yeah! That little ritual you did last night was not at all fake, nor some horrific “virgin sacrifice” bullshit you see in movies. In fact, you performed a bonding ritual.”

“A….bonding ritual?” Ashe asked hesitantly, dreading where this was going.

Shikuma grinned as he looked at the freckled boy, the others following his gaze. “When the blood of a mortal is offered to the pentagram, the demon who is summoned is then bonded to them. A sort of blood pact, if you will. Which means….” Shikuma threw an arm around Ashe’s shoulders and pulled him against his chest. “Little Freckles here is now mine!”

“Oh, dear,” Linhardt said, feeling a little concerned for Ashe. Caspar and Hilda started yelling.

“What!? You can’t do that!”

“There’s no way in hell you’re taking our good boy!”

“Sorry, but the only ways you can get rid of me are by performing an exorcism, or killing your friend to lift the bond.” Ashe let out a squeak when he heard the latter option.

“Well, an exorcism is obviously the best and most _safe_ way,” Linhardt concluded. “Caspar, where is Hubert’s book?” Each individual turned to the blue-haired man, whose eyes were cast down to the floor, skin paper white.

“Caspar, love, light of my life, you _do_ have the book, right?”

“I….may or may not have lost it….”

Shikuma covered his mouth with his hand to stifle a laugh. “Oh, this is by far _the_ best day of my immortal life. Uh, guys, before you start yelling at your friend, you might want to consider Freckles’ opinion on the matter?” Caspar, Linhardt, and Hilda turned towards Ashe, who was not taking long to consider his very limited options.

“Um, well I really don’t want to die, and since Caspar doesn’t have the book, I guess my only choice is to let Shikuma stay until he finds it.”

“That’s the spirit! I’m sure neither they, or I, want you dead.”

* * *

Once Caspar, Linhardt, and Hilda had reluctantly left Ashe alone with the demon, Ashe flopped onto the couch with an exhausted and frustrated groan.

“Aww, don’t be like that, Freckles,” Shikuma said as he hopped over the armrest and onto the cushions. “Think of me as a roommate of sorts!”

“My name isn’t Freckles! It’s Ashe!”

“But you have cute little freckles on your cheeks, so therefore I’m calling you Freckles.”

Pink bloomed on Ashe’s cheeks. He absentmindedly looked at Shikuma’s faded and tattered clothes. How long has he been wearing them? Does he only get one outfit in Hell?

“I’ll be right back,” Ashe said as he got up from the couch and retreated to his bedroom. When he returned, he was standing in front of Shikuma, dropping two pieces of soft, black material onto the demon’s lap. “I kinda figured you wouldn’t want to wear those every day that you’re here,” he said with a smile. Sure, Ashe was letting a _literal_ _demon_ live with him, but he wasn’t going to be a dick about it.

Picking up the material and seeing that it was a t-shirt and jeans, Shikuma chuckled. “Aww, so you’re _not_ going to treat me like trash?” he joked.

“O-Of course not! Demon or not, you’re still living under my roof. Which means you’re a guest….unless you try and kill me.”

“Well, I can’t exactly do that since we’re bonded, remember? That means I’m forbidden to kill you. Hurt you, I’m allowed to do, but never kill.” Upon seeing Ashe’s eyes widen, Shikuma was quick to follow up with, “But I won’t hurt you! I swear on it! Contrary to popular belief, demons actually have morals.”

“Oh,” Ashe said, slumping his shoulders in relief, “that’s good then, I guess.” He paused for a moment. “Are you hungry? I was about to start making dinner. Uh, demons eat, right?”

“Yes, silly, demons eat. What’s on the menu tonight, Chef Freckles?”

Ashe rolled his eyes at the nickname that was apparently going to stick. “Go change and meet me back in the kitchen. You can be my helper.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look we have art now! I'm gonna try to have at least one scene drawn for each chapter from now on. Also I didn't expect this to be picked up so fast?? 18 people have already seen it, which is a lot considering oc stuff isn't as recognized! So thanks guys! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New character introduced! One of my best girls, Arden Williams!
> 
> also sorry if the format changes a bit every chapter. I copy the text from my google doc, but sometimes it doesn't want to paste as double spaced???

Shikuma, as it turns out, was pretty decent at cooking. His tail definitely made for a good extra “hand” in the kitchen. When Ashe asked where he learned as they washed the dishes, Shikuma replied, “The last two people I was bonded with taught me how. Nice girls, they were! Arden and Camille, I think their names were. That was probably….five years ago?”

  
“Wait a minute,” Ashe said as he stopped drying the plate he held, “is Arden tan with really poofy hair that used to be shoulder length? Brown eyes and little freckles on her face?”

  
Shikuma’s pointy ears perked up. “Yeah, that’s the one!”

  
“No way! Arden’s my coworker! We work at a small bookstore cafe down the street from here. Camille’s her girlfriend, too! Actually, I think they recently got engaged.”  
“Aww, I’m happy for them! I always told them that they made a great couple. Man, what a small world this is.”

  
After the dishes were dried and put away, Ashe announced that he was heading to bed since he had work in the morning. Shikuma gladly took the couch for the night, and Loog wasted no time hopping up to curl up on his lap.

  
“I see he likes you already,” said Ashe.

  
“I’m just _that_ charming!”

  
“Right, right….”

* * *

Morning came, and Ashe nearly fell out of bed as he shot out to catch his phone from falling off the nightstand. It was vibrating constantly from the messages he was receiving from his group chat. Well, mostly Hilda and Caspar. Linhardt slept in at least until noon.

  
**Caspar:** Ashe!? Ashe are you still alive!?  
**Hilda:** that demon better not try anything funny!!!  
**Caspar:** i didn’t find the book yet but im working on it!

  
Ashe shook his head with a laugh as he texted his friends, letting him know that he was very much alive, then started his usual routine. Washing his face, brushing his teeth, feeding Loog before he starts meowing like a maniac, acknowledging the demon in his living room, getting dressed.

  
“Morning, sunshine!” Shikuma called from the couch.

  
“First Freckles, now Sunshine?”

“Well, if you want me to stick to Freckles so much….”

  
“Or you can call me Ashe?” Shikuma leaned over the arm of the couch and blew a raspberry at the freckled man. “Are you a demon, or a child?”

  
“I can be whatever you want me to be, sweetheart,” Shikuma said with a wink, relishing in his achievement of making Ashe’s cheeks turn a charming shade of pink at the pet name.

  
“I have to go to work! I’ll see you later!” he said as he gathered his things in his bag and scrambled out the door.

* * *

The little bell chimed as Ashe pulled open the door to Blue Lion Books. Upon entry is the bookstore, nothing too large or too small. It was well-organized and had a cozy atmosphere. In the back was an area for children, and every Wednesday Ashe would read to the kids. That was his favorite part; seeing their wide-eyed, curious faces as he read them fairy tales about knights in shining armor and huge castles, dragons and heroic adventures. He took pride in bringing joy to others through reading.

  
On the far left was a little cafe called Mercie and Annie’s. Ashe’s favorite times were when Annette and Mercedes came in with a new recipe and had him as their taste tester. His top contender so far was the orange-cranberry scones. Coming in every morning and smelling fresh coffee and baked goods made Blue Lion Books feel like home. It was relaxing and took the stress of everyday life away.

  
“Morning, Ashe!” Arden called from the Fiction section. Oh, right, Arden offered to take over Ingrid’s shifts this week while she chiseled away at her final exams for the semester.

  
“How did you know it was me?” he asked.

  
“Because you _always_ come in after Annette and Mercedes get here to swipe some breakfast pastries while they’re still warm.” A bright smile graced Arden’s face as she emerged from behind the bookshelves. In older pictures Ashe had seen, her hair pooled over her shoulders. Now the bouncy, brown curls sat just under her jawline. Additionally, she sported bangs instead of her side part.

  
Ashe liked having Arden as a friend. She always looked like she never had a bad day in her life, and she acted like a leader. He didn’t meet her until two years ago, but Ashe felt like he knew her forever.

  
“So, what do you think the day will bring, my boy?” Arden questioned as Ashe started checking to make sure all the books were in their respective categories.

  
“Let’s see….right now it’s almost eight, which means that people will start coming to the cafe first to get their morning coffee before work or class. Since it’s getting hotter outside, cold beverages will be the top sellers by the afternoon. And throughout the day, I bet there will be students coming into the bookstore to either study, buy something, or just unwind.”

  
“Excellent analysis, smartypants! Man, I wish I had your brains. It’s like there’s a calculator up there.”

  
“Nonsense, you’re plenty smart! The puzzle-solving skills you have are impeccable!”

  
“That is what helps me beat an escape room every single time. But aside from that, a little pink birdie told me you have a new roomie.”

  
The gray-haired boy gulped. Dammit, Hilda! “W-What did she say?”

  
“Nothing much. Tall, long brown hair, nice green eyes, and piercings. Nothing more than that.” Arden waggled her eyebrows at her coworker. “Sounds like your type.”

  
Ashe sighed. “I don’t have a “type”, Ardie. Plus, I barely know him.”

  
“And that’s how romance movies start. You meet, banter a little, then BOOM. Love is in the air, baby.” She gave Ashe a playful nudge, which he returned.

* * *

Ashe’s prior analysis had been correct, and the work day had gone smoothly with only the occasional rude customer. After all, there was always that one person who had a problem with everything.

  
Sighing, Ashe’s thoughts roamed to what he would have to deal with once he arrived home. Having Shikuma live in his apartment with him wasn’t entirely a bad thing. So far it was good! But then again, it had only been a day. He couldn’t help but think about the what-if’s. What if Shikuma wasn’t as nice as he seemed? What if Shikuma was lying to Ashe and could actually kill him? What if he wanted to _eat his soul_!?

  
By the time Ashe had gone through every what-if in the book, he found himself nearly eating the wood of his apartment door. He had been so deep in thought that he power-walked all the way home! Ashe unlocked and opened the door, bracing himself for no reason. As he stepped inside he was greeted with the sight of Loog curled up in Shikuma’s lap getting his ears scratched. There was a book floating in mid-air in front of his face, and he was wearing a yellow hoodie and gray sweatpants, though they weren’t from Ashe’s wardrobe. So he _could_ change his outfits at will.

  
“Amazing,” Ashe said, capturing the attention of the demon.

  
“What, this? It’s just basic magic that comes with living in the Underworld.”

  
“No, not that.”

  
“Come again?”

  
Ashe dropped his bag and kicked off his shoes, then made his way to the couch. He flopped down onto the cushions in childlike excitement. “It takes Loog at least a few weeks to warm up to people other than myself and Caspar, and even then he isn’t that comfortable yet, but you’ve only been here for a day and a half!”

  
Shikuma looked down at the tubby tuxedo cat, who was purring like a motorboat engine, and laughed. “My charm reaches even to the animals,” he said. “I’m just that good, I guess.” Ashe laughed along with him and thought, _Maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad_.

  
As night fell, Shikuma and Ashe decided they were too lazy to cook anything for dinner and instead ordered pizza. “Caspar will go to his grave with the idea that pineapple belongs on pizza,” Ashe said as he skimmed over Hulu for something to watch, soon deciding on _Dance Moms_. He didn’t care much about the dancing. Watching the moms get into petty fights was the main entertainment.

  
“No way,” Shikuma said in disbelief over his own slice. “Now _he’s_ a heathen! Any kind of fruit on pizza is an insult to the culinary community! I may be a demon, but I’m not a monster.”

  
“Well now I don’t have a reason to exorcise you!” Ashe jokes, to which Shikuma lets out a dramatic gasp and clutches his chest over his hoodie.

  
“I can’t _believe_ you would exorcise me over something so petty,” he said with mock betrayal. “I thought we were closer than that, Ashe!”

  
“Finally, you called me by my name!” Ashe exclaimed. “And all it took was threatening to exorcise you for liking pineapple on pizza.”

  
Shikuma set his plate down on the coffee table and pouted at the freckled man. “That’s not gonna stop me from calling you Freckles, _Freckles_.”

  
“I didn’t think so.”

  
“Would you rather I call you sunshine?” Shikuma asked as he inched himself closer. Even through the darkness of the living room and the light from the TV, Ashe was sure Shikuma could see the blush spreading across his cheeks and all the way to his ears. “Or perhaps cutie would suffice? You seemed to like _sweetheart_ this morning.”

  
“Oh my god, _stop_!” Ashe exclaimed, covering his face with his hands while dragging out the last word. Shikuma’s tail swished from side to side as he pulled back with a triumphant grin.

  
“Hm. Freckles it is, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIIIIVE!!!!
> 
> Hey y'all, sorry I haven't posted since like November. Finals, lack of motivation and work have kicked my entire ass. But I'm back now with a more calm mind!!
> 
> Ashe struggles with his feelings!

The numbers on the digital clock on the nightstand read 9:38 when Ashe woke up Friday morning. Blue Lion Books was closed on Fridays, and finals were over. It had been nearly three weeks since Shikuma had been summoned and started living with him. Caspar keeps insisting that he’s almost found the ritual book, but at this point Ashe had gotten used to the demon living in his apartment. It felt….strangely normal to him. Shikuma even made him tea when finals were becoming stressful. They cooked, they cleaned, they went out like roommates.

No, like friends. By this point the boys had become good friends, and it made Ashe weirdly giddy when he thought about it.

When Ashe walked out of his bedroom and into the living room, he leaned over the back of the sofa. Shikuma was still fast asleep, soft snores escaping his parted lips. He laid on his stomach, blanket long forgotten in a heap on the floor, with his right arm dangling over the side of the sofa. Umber waves of hair fanned out, and Ashe had to fight the urge to touch them. Every so often, Shikuma’s tail would twitch involuntarily.

Suddenly very curious, Ashe reached downward and gave an experimental swipe across the appendage with his finger. The result ended in Shikuma shooting upwards with a yelp, now  _ very _ much awake. Ashe jumped backwards when black and green eyes locked onto his own.

“U-Uhmm….” Shikuma stammered. His cheeks were tinted pink, which Ashe had never seen before. Then, in a hushed tone as he sunk behind the sofa cushions, “Don’t do that, please.”

“I-I’m sorry!” Ashe exclaimed. “I was just curious about your tail. I didn’t intend to upset you.”

“It’s fine,” Shikuma said, “and don’t worry, I’m not upset. It’s just, uh….my tail’s a little….sensitive, if you catch my drift?”

It took exactly six seconds for Ashe to process what he meant by ‘sensitive’. He took one good look at Shikuma’s flushed face and averted gaze, then his own face was heating up as the realization hit him. Thankfully, as if the gods were watching this pathetically awkward exchange, his phone pinged in his hand to stop him from digging a deeper grave.

**Arden:** _ashe my boy!! end of semester party at cami’s place tonight! you down to clown?_

Before Ashe could type a response, his phone pinged again.

**Arden:** _you can bring a daaaaate ;)_

_ Ever the matchmaker _ , Ashe thought. “Shikuma,” he said, trying to ease the tension, “do you want to come with me to a party tonight?”

The word ‘party’ made Shikuma’s pointy ears perk up as he sprang off the sofa. “Uh, does a bear shit in the woods? Of  _ course _ I wanna go!”

Relieved that their prior situation was good and done for, Ashe shot Arden a confirmation text of their arrival. She replied with terrifying speed, the address and time.

* * *

By now, Ashe learned from past outings with Shikuma that he could cast a glamour on himself to blend in with the mortal crowd. Horns and tail were invisible to the naked eye, pointed ears were rounded out, and black sclera turned white. He had to admit, being so used to living with Shikuma’s demonic features, it felt weird to see him look so….normal? Was it crazy to think that he preferred the demon parts over the human? And why was he thinking that in the first place!?

“Shikuma, are you ready yet?” Ashe called, pushing the thought from his brain. He occupied himself with his outfit in the mirror that leaned against one of his bedroom walls. Since Camille’s backyard has a pool, Arden made it mandatory to wear a swimsuit whether you were swimming or not. He currently sported a pair of dark blue swim trunks and one of his jackets with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

“Patience, sweet boy!” Shikuma replied from the bathroom. “It takes a lot to look this good!”

“It’s a  _ pool _ party! How good do you have to look?”

Footsteps approached Ashe’s bedroom a couple minutes later. “Do I look presentable?”

Ashe turned around to face him. All traces of Shikuma’s demon features were nowhere to be seen, and he had to admit he looked handsome in either form. Those green eyes were definitely striking now that the black sclera was hidden. He wore an unbuttoned short-sleeved shirt that revealed a lithe upper body, and black swim trunks that fit snug against his thighs. Ashe didn’t dare look between them.

“Y-You, uh, you look g-great!” he stammered, praying that his face wasn’t resembling a tomato. Shikuma replied with a grin, and though his features were temporarily hidden, there was still a hint of fangs in his smile.

* * *

Camille wasn’t rich, but her house was fairly nice. The beach was only three miles away, and she had a small gazebo and a heated inground pool in her backyard. Her moms were out for the weekend, perfect timing for her and Arden’s party. They trusted the girls to be responsible for the house as well as the other party-goers. “College has taught us that frat houses are boozy pigsties and sororities are basically cults,” Camille told her parents before they left. “The house will be in the very good hands of your daughter and future daughter-in-law.”

A handful of people from Arden’s friend group were already there, drinking and being merry as they say. It was more of a relaxing party than a wild one. Arden spotted the pair as soon as they arrived. She wore denim shorts and a white, low-cut bikini top. She greeted Ashe with one of her bone-crushing hugs, then locked eyes with Shikuma. She stared for a good three seconds, before her brown eyes widened.

“No fucking way, Shikuma!?”

The boy stood with his arms outstretched, smiling. “As you live and breathe, Ardie.” Shikuma accepted the extra tight hug that came a second later. “You look good, and I hear you and Cami are engaged, now!” Arden beamed at both statements. She absolutely loved that she could call Camille her fiancée.

Ashe smiled as they made fun conversation, knowing he coincidentally just brought two old friends back together under one roof. He watched Shikuma, the flash of his fangs when he talked, how he scratched the back of his neck like an awkward schoolboy, how his nose scrunched a bit when he smiled. He looked kind of cute, actually.

Once that was thought into existence, Ashe’s brain froze like a blue error screen.

Wait a minute. What’s  _ that _ all about, brain!? Don’t know where that thought came from, but it needed to be beaten back with a stick. Rule one of all supernatural shows: don’t deal with the devil, and don’t become attracted to him, either. Both of which he had failed at. Ugh, he needed a drink. Shikuma must be some kind of telepath, because he then suggested drinks. Arden pardoned herself to go mingle with the others.

“Okay, Freckles, pick your poison,” Shikuma said over the arrangements of alcohol, juice, and soda on the kitchen island.

“Vodka cranberry, please. But not so much vodka to get me wasted too quickly,” Ashe replied with a laugh. “I remember what happened the last time I had too much of that.”

Shikuma laughed along as he prepared the drink for him. “I  _ so _ wish I could’ve seen “drunk Ashe” that night. I think I would have gotten a kick out of that. Here’s your drink, my good man.”

“Thanks. Maybe you’ll have the honor of experiencing it depending on how much I drink tonight.” Ashe took his plastic red cup, half filled with boozy cranberry juice. Momentarily, their hands brushed, and Ashe felt his stomach flip. He brushed it off as quickly as it came when he saw Camille on the far side of the house, waving him over from the glass sliding door. Her black hair was a bit longer than it was a few years ago, braided and falling over her shoulder. She wore a dark blue one piece under a pair of black shorts.

“Looks like you’re being summoned,” Shikuma said. “Uh, no pun intended.”

“Will you be okay by yourself?”

“Are you kidding? Socializing is my middle name! But it’s adorable that you’re worried about me.” The demon pardoned himself and went into the living room to meet the other party members.

Ashe’s cheeks were warm as he made his way towards his friend’s fiancée. “Hey, Cami. What can I do for you?”

“You can start by telling me how you managed to bring  _ Shikuma _ back into the mortal world, and spare no details.”

Ashe sighed, knowing this was eventually going to be brought to light by her or Arden. He told Camille about the drunken night with Hilda, Caspar, and Linhardt. The ritual, the pentagram, everything. “My question is,” he said, “how is it that I got the same demon that you and Arden got five years ago?”

“That, my friend,” Camille answered, taking a swig from her cup, “is pure coincidence. Shikuma’s a demon among thousands, possibly  _ millions _ of other types of demons. You could have gotten one much worse than him, but I guess you were lucky.”

A shiver ran up his spine as he thought of other possible outcomes of that night. He looked to the sunken living room. Shikuma lounged on one of the white sofas and was talking to a girl with tan skin and shoulder-length brown hair that was pink at the ends. A black bikini top and swim shorts fit snug against her curves. A strange feeling curled in his stomach unlike the one he felt before. This one didn’t feel nice. He took a swig of his drink, relishing the sting of the vodka mixed with the juice.

Camille seemed to notice his change in demeanor as she narrowed her gray eyes at the boy, looked in Shikuma’s direction, then back to him. “Oh. Oh, are you jealous? Oh my god, do you like him!?”

Ashe choked on his drink. He spluttered and coughed while Camille slapped his back. “W-We’re just friends!” he said once he regained his composure. “We’re just friends.”

“Yes, yes, I heard you the first time! But the way you’re staring right now says otherwise, Ashe.”

“That doesn’t mean anything!”

Camille rolled her eyes. “Okay, then let’s put it like this: how long have you two been living together?”

“Umm….almost a month, I think.”

“And has anything happened in that span of time?”

Ashe had to think for a moment. “Well, we spend a lot of time together. He helped me a lot during finals by bringing me tea and food while I crammed. He also calls me nicknames like Freckles and Sunshine.”

“....And do you  _ like _ those nicknames?” Camille felt like she was going to explode.

“I guess so? They make my stomach feel weird. Actually, I’ve been feeling  _ really _ weird around him, lately. Like….” It hit him moments later. “Oh. I see your point.”

“Mm-hm.”

“But this is crazy! Shikuma’s a  _ demon _ ! This isn’t like TV!”

Camille felt like she could sense Ashe’s thoughts running a mile a minute. She gently squeezed his shoulder. “Do you want some advice from your elder?”

“You’re two years older than me, Cami. But if it helps me in any way, then yes.”

“Never thought I’d see the day where I’d give advice on how to get demon dick, seeing as I’m a huge lesbian, but I guess there’s a first for everything. Listen Ashe, before Arden and I had to exorcise Shikuma so our parents didn’t find out, we spent a few months with him. He’s a sweet guy, and fun to be around. And  _ christ _ , he makes good food. I’ve known you for a while, and I can tell there’s something missing in your life.” She gave the boy a smile. “If you actually like Shikuma, don’t wait. Go for it, and if I’m wrong about my assumption, you can yell at me later. But I’m also reminding you that knowing you’ve boned down with a demon is a  _ huge _ flex.”

Ashe looked back to where Shikuma sat. He was talking with more people, but that girl was still there.

“Don’t worry, my boy,” said Camille. “Rubi’s harmless and knows boundaries. Plus, Shikuma’s not one for the ladies.”

“Yooo! Beer pong’s all set up!” shouted someone from the backyard.

“Looks like a chance awaits.”

* * *

Next to the pool was a folded table where beer pong was set up. Ten red cups were lined up pyramid style at each end along with two small buckets of ping-pong balls. Everyone, save for a few who took to the pool, was gathered around as various participants stepped up and challenged one another. Rubi, the girl from inside, went up against her sister Kate, a girl with curly black hair tied up in a small ponytail, tan skin a bit darker than Rubi’s, and a single freckle on the corner of her right eye. Her brown eyes narrowed in concentration as she aimed the little ball at one of the cups. It was thrown, bouncing off the center of the table and landing in the front cup that made the tip of the triangle with a satisfying  _ plunk _ . Tipsy cheers filled the atmosphere.

Shikuma, who was standing next to Ashe, nudged him. “Wanna take a crack at it next, Freckles?”

Ashe looked to Camille and Arden standing across from them, eagerly shooting a thumbs up.

“I don’t see why not.”

* * *

The score was Shikuma: 5 and Ashe: 9. With his sniper-level skill, Ashe was winning. His face and body were hot from the alcohol, and aiming the ball became more difficult with every turn, but he could see that Shikuma was slipping as well, though not as drunk as Ashe currently felt. He probably had a higher tolerance, but it was good to know that even demons could get drunk. Even in this inebriated haze, Ashe got a great look at Shikuma while he waited for him to take his turn; pink cheeks and glassy eyes, bottom lip caught between his teeth in a  _ very _ attractive smirk as he aimed, chest and abs exposed for all to see, though Ashe wished he was the only one who could see them.

Shikuma threw the ball and missed, signaling the end of his turn. Ashe gathered himself as best he could and focused his sights on Shikuma’s final cup. This was not the time to admire this guy and his face. His dumb, nice face. He threw the little ball and watched it hit the middle of the table. He was afraid he’d missed until he saw it bounce and land in Shikuma’s cup. A cheer erupted from the party at Ashe’s victory, fists and cups of sloshing alcohol thrusted into the air. He was cheering as well, and people were giving him pats on the back and nudges. Shikuma eventually came over, smiling that pretty smile.

“Congrats, Freckles,” he said as the next round began with Arden and Camille. “You’re quite the shot!” He ruffled Ashe’s hair, and Ashe felt a dopey smile set on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyy thanks for reading!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! There's gonna be more on the way, so be on the lookout :D


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